Last reviewed: 24 October 2026
Grade 9 learners choose senior schools for Grade 10 as part of the Ministry of Education’s placement process. Families often ask how to pick schools so that the list is ambitious but still realistic. This guide explains how to build a sensible list, how to use our free Grade 10 placement predictor, and what the predictor can and cannot tell you.
On this page
How the list works
Under the Ministry’s senior school placement guidance, learners select twelve schools across the four clusters, C1 (national) to C4. Placement then considers the learner’s combined score (KJSEA 60%, Grades 7–8 school-based assessment 20%, KPSEA 20%), the pathway chosen and the places available at each school. Clusters are explained in our C1–C4 guide.
What the predictor does
The predictor asks for your child’s average KJSEA level, pathway, home county, gender and day or boarding preference. It then labels each cluster as Likely, Realistic, Reach or Long shot, and lists matching schools from the Ministry’s June 2025 senior schools list (9,569 schools). C1 schools are shown nationally, because national schools admit from every county; C2 to C4 are shown for your county.
What it cannot do
- It uses a rule of thumb from the average level only. Real placement uses the full combined score and competition for each school.
- The Ministry list does not say which pathways each school offers. Confirm that directly with the school.
- It does not know how many learners will choose each school this year.
Treat the output as a starting point for a conversation, not a forecast. It is not a Ministry or KNEC result.
Building a balanced twelve
- Start with the pathway. Only list schools that offer your child’s pathway and preferred subject combination.
- Include every cluster you are allowed to choose from. Do not put all your choices in C1 or C2; leave realistic options.
- Think about distance and cost. Day schools near home are free of boarding fees; public boarding schools follow gazetted fee ceilings. See senior school fees 2026 and day vs boarding.
- Check gender and boarding type. The finder shows whether a school is boys, girls or mixed, and day or boarding.
- Visit or call. Ask about pathways, subject combinations, laboratories and transport.
Using the other tools
The Senior School Finder lets you browse every school by county and sub-county. Compare two schools to see cluster, type and location side by side. Individual school pages, such as Maseno School, give history and fee ceilings for well-known C1 schools.
When you want more than an estimate
Our CBC Pathway Report (KSh 300) looks at your child’s strengths and interests and suggests pathways and subject combinations with a printable summary. It is optional; the predictor and finder are free.
Common mistakes
- Listing only famous schools and leaving no realistic options.
- Choosing a school that does not offer the pathway.
- Ignoring transport time for day schools.
- Forgetting that a girl cannot be placed in a boys’ school, and vice versa.
Sources
- Ministry of Education, senior schools list (June 2025) and senior school placement guidance
- Kenyans.co.ke on the 60/20/20 KJSEA scoring (December 2025)
CBC Guides is independent, not the Ministry of Education or KNEC.